Review: African Love Stories edited by Ama Ata Aidoo
Title: African Love Stories
Editor: Aidoo, Ama Ata
Length: 249 pages
Genre: Fiction, Short Stories
Publisher / Year: Ayebia / 2006
Source: Sent to me by the wonderful Iris.
Rating: 5/5
Why I Read It: African literature, edited by Ama Ata Aidoo, a present from Iris, and it includes many favorite authors – do I need to list more reasons?
Date Read: 17/11/11
Just looking at the list of contributors to this anthology is enough to make one drool – of the 21 authors included I’ve read longer works by nine and have absolutely loved them all (Leila Aboulela, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Sefi Atta, Yaba Badoe, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Helen Oyeyemi, Nawal El Saadawi, Veronique Tadjo, and Chika Unigwe – I would read anything published by these authors in a heartbeat, and am working my way through their works). After reading the collection I know for a fact that I must seek out works by the other authors included, because their contributions were just as strong as those from my favorites.
To begin with, the introduction by Aidoo was incredible. She talks about the fact that so many seem to think that love stories don’t exist in Africa or in African literature. She shares a short story titled Achire’s Heart and talks about the story – how universal it is yet how African it also is, and how contemporary. Aidoo talks also about the seriousness of love stories, saying on page ii:
[...] it is a label that speaks of the enormity of the consequences of loving, especially its impact on the lovers themselves, their families, and the entire society in which they live and love.
These are not love stories in the way of romance novels, written where things are easy and predictable and everyone ends up living happily ever after. These are love stories as if taken directly from real life, in many cases. They tell of the joys and the struggles, the ecstasy and the heartbreak that accompany love. They encompass all parts of life from childbirth to marriage to death and everything in between. They are the kind of stories in which we can imagine ourselves, or real characters, and come away with a true sense of life and of love.
I can’t agree enough with Kinna‘s comment on my introduction post to her Ghanaian Literature Week where she said that she considers this one of the best publications from the continent in the new century. Each of the stories tackled some aspect of love and did so in a profound and moving way. The stories are all real and believable, both universal yet so firmly grounded in place and time through the way they are written and the background that weaves its way in to each story.
I won’t talk about any of the stories individually as I feel they are all too perfect to pick out one or two. In each story I felt the characters were well and fully developed, as was the sense of place and time. I never felt that an author was forcing the story into a short number of pages, in each case it seemed perfectly written for the form. It amazes me how these authors are all so adept at writing both longer works (which I’ve read from 9 of the 21 in the past) and of short stories.
Whether you think you like short stories or not, I highly recommend this collection. With this collection I will finally admit that I was wrong in my original assumption that I disliked short stories. Throughout the year I’ve been trying various collections, and I’ve really enjoyed them all. This collection was the best by far, and ranks above most books I’ve read as well, so I must finally admit that Kinna has converted me to this form!
All I can say is: Thank you.
Thank you Kinna
Such a wonderful book.
please can I have this book and other book of Ama ata aidoo format PDF thank You so much in advence, this is my email hna-ali@hotmail.fr
please can I have this book and other book of Ama ata aidoo format PDF thank You so much in advence, this is my email hna-ali@hotmail.fr
Sorry Ali, you’ll have to buy it!
I tend to avoid love stories because they all seem so predictable and unbelievable at times, but this sounds unique and extraordinary! I love that the stories are so representative of real life, and that they are so moving. I have been roving around and collecting a list of short story collections that seem bound to please me, and this one is going on my list. Thanks for the very persuasive and enticing review today, Amy! It seems that I need to try this one out! Great review!
Yes, that is exactly what Aidoo is talking about zibilee, how they’ve become there ‘easy, predictable, unbelievable’ things when really love is so much more than that because it informs so much of our lines. I think that you would really enjoy this one.
Wonderful review, Amy! This looks like a really awesome book! I am adding it to my ‘TBR’ list. I liked the way you have gushed about the book without saying anything about the individual stories, leaving them to be explored by the reader. I love love stories. I read a couple of love story collections this year and loved both of them. I think I will love ‘African love stories’ when I get to it. Thanks for this wonderful review and for introducing it to us readers.
Thank you Vishy, I just loved all of the stories and know it would take way too many words to talk about them all
I think you would really enjoy this yes.
I’m so sorry you’re not closer because I’d love to borrow this, and so many other books from you!
Ah sorry Tammie! Though a lot of my books are in Eastern PEI at my parent’s place so borrowable for you if you wish
It’s great to see that the short story form has won you over
I’ll need to devote some time to exploring African lit after uni, this one sounds like a good start.
Yes, it really has over this year Bina. I can’t believe I wasn’t a fan of them previously. I hope that you do find some time to explore as there is so much there to find.
Don’t you love it when a book proves you wrong! But the first step is deciding that you will read a book outside of your normal genre selection, which I’m trying to do more of.
Yes, I really do Shannon
I’m not a fan of short stories collections because they run the gambit from “excellent” to “horrible” all in the same volume. However this one does look like a good read, a few years ago I read many books set in Africa or by African authors and the vast majority were excellent.
http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Yes I always thought the same Man of la Book but I think it really depends on the editor. I’ve read some really fantastic collections this year!
My comment disappeared! Anyway, I’d said that I’m first in the borrowing line if you can part this one briefly…
You’ve really got me into African lit btw–I have Teju Cole on hold at the library.
Ah sorry to hear the site was giving you issues Niranjana. And yes, you are more than welcome to borrow this one when I see you next (do please remind me!) and that I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts on Teju Cole – which book?
Great, thanks so much! I’m reading Open City
Oh interested to hear your thoughts on it Niranjana!
You already know that I’m on the same page as you are with this collection.
As Eva mentioned elsewhere, I’ve avoided anthologies, and stuck with single-author collections, but this one busted through that reading habit of mine too!
This collection will convert a lot of people I think BuriedInPrint
I am starting to think it all depends on the editor, really.
This is a personal favorite and I’ve meant to pick it up some time again.
Glad to hear you enjoy this one as well Geosi!
Its awesome
Glad to see you agree Akosua.
Great review. I’ve never been the biggest fan of short stories but I finished reading this the other day and I absolutely loved it.
Isn’t it a really great collection bookshy? Kinna got me to realize I like short stories a lot more than I thought I did via this and a few other collections of African literature short stories!
Another one for my TBR list. Thanks, AMy
I think you’d really love it Kiru!
It really is Amy. It’s probably one of the best books I’ve read. And to have so many of my favourite authors in one collection was amazing
. Are there any others one you could recommend?
Kinda recently posted a list of great ones. I loved Opening Spaces by Yvonne Vera. Sindiwe Magona also has a great collection. Will think about other faves to mention!